25 artifacts that amaze with their perfection (26 photos)

Masterpieces created hundreds, if not thousands, of years ago testify to the fact that man in any era is capable of surpassing himself. Are you curious about what ancient Greek architects, 18th-century Inuits, and other peoples left behind? These treasures are ready to tell their story.





1. Two-faced statue of Mephistopheles and Margarita



The work of an unknown French sculptor of the 19th century, carved from a single piece of sycamore wood.

2. Mycenaean daggers/swords, Greece, 16th-14th century BC, National Archaeological Museum, Athens, Greece





3. Spiral staircase designed by Leonardo da Vinci in 1516



4. Gate of all nations in ancient Persian city of Persepolis



A massive statue of a guardian stands at the Gate of All Nations in Persepolis. The limestone figure depicts a bull with eagle wings and a human head, symbolizing power, protection, and royal supremacy. The ceremonial center of the Achaemenid Empire was built in the 5th century BC and is located in what is now Iran.

5. Bust of Maria Duglioli Barberini



Italian Giuliano Finelli, known for his skillful marble carving, created a realistic image of the noblewoman Maria Duglioli Barberini in 1626.

6. Skara Brae, Scotland



In 1850, a farmer stumbled upon a secret village. Archaeologists have discovered that it is older than the Great Pyramids of Egypt. They estimate that about a hundred people lived in the village of Skara Brae. The houses were connected by tunnels, and each of them was closed with a stone door.

7. Statue of Yasuke, an African slave who arrived in Japan in 1579 and became the first black samurai



Warlord Oda Nobunaga took Yasuke into his service and provided him with a sword, a house, and a salary. The African served Nobunaga faithfully, fighting alongside him in brutal battles.

8. A Well-Preserved 3,000-Year-Old Sword



During excavations in the Bavarian town of Nördlingen (Germany), archaeologists discovered a bronze sword with an octagonal hilt. The weapon was made around the 14th century BC.

9. Roman statue of Aphrodite in Amasra, Turkey



In September 2023, archaeologists discovered a marble statue dating back to the 2nd century CE at a depth of three meters in Amastris (now Amasra, on the Black Sea coast of Turkey). Initially, it was believed that the sculpture depicted a water nymph. However, experts now tend to believe that it is Aphrodite.

10. Steam elevator in the apartment building of the staff captain of the guard, circa 1902-1903.



11. Column of Marcus Aurelius in Rome



Erected between 176 and 192, the column is dedicated to the Marcomannic War of Marcus Aurelius. The structure is about 30 meters high and is decorated with a spiral bas-relief depicting dramatic battle scenes.

12. 1100-Year-Old Boots, Mongolia



13. Arch of Titus



Located next to the Roman Forum, this triumphal arch is a silent witness to almost two thousand years of history. Built around 81 CE, it commemorates the Emperor Titus' victory over Jerusalem during the First Jewish War in 70 CE. The bas-reliefs depict a procession of Roman soldiers with trophies.

14. Roman Mosaic from the 3rd Century CE



During excavations in London, England, archaeologists have uncovered a magnificent mosaic floor dating back to the 2nd or 3rd century CE. The geometric pattern once adorned the dining room of a Roman villa, or "mancio," and has been hidden for over 1,800 years beneath the earth and modern infrastructure. A bright star shines in the center of the composition, surrounded by intertwining lines, waves and medallions.

15. A bottle that is almost two thousand years old is filled with hardened olive oil from Pompeii



16. Crocodile Skin Armor



Ancient crocodile skin armor was found in Egypt in the 19th century. Scientists believe that it dates back to the Roman period and was intended for ceremonies, not battles. Radiocarbon dating has established that the artifact dates back to the 3rd century CE.

17. Marble foot of the statue of Marcus Aurelius



In May 2023, archaeologists discovered a marble foot in the ancient city of Sedra (in southern Turkey), which probably belonged to a statue of Marcus Aurelius. The length of the find is about 50 cm.

18. Courtesans of Ancient Greece wore special shoes that left an inscription on the ground: "Follow me." This is how they advertised their services



19. Inuit sealskin underpants, 18th century



20. Diver finds Crusader sword off the coast Israel



Shlomi Katzin, a diving enthusiast from Atlit, Israel, spotted a shimmer under the sand and retrieved a sword from the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea. The weapon is about 900 years old and dates back to the Crusades. The blade is about a meter long, and the handle is 30 centimeters.

21. The Issyk Golden Man



In 1969, near Almaty, Kazakhstan, archaeologists found a burial site dating back to the 3rd-2nd centuries BC. It turned out to be a real treasure trove: a silver bowl with mysterious runes, a sword, and hundreds of gold ornaments sewn onto ceremonial clothing. The figure was crowned with a tall conical headdress reminiscent of the ceremonial attire of Central Asian women. Although the man's gender remains a mystery, sewing needles have led some researchers to believe that the burial may have belonged to a noblewoman or a Scythian princess. Others believe that it could have been a warrior called to protect her in the afterlife.

22. Michelangelo's Moses. A real master class in human sculptural anatomy



23. The Walls of Khiva in Uzbekistan



Surrounded by powerful walls, the historic city of Khiva became the first World Heritage site in Central Asia. The 17th-century mud-brick fortification reflects a rich history and craftsmanship.

24. Coins bearing the image of Alexander the Great



25. The interior of a 1926 Rolls Royce Phantom



The car was commissioned by Baron Clarence Gask for his wife, a fan of 18th-century French fashion.